This document provides examples of embarrassing presentation situations and tips to avoid them. It describes incidents such as a presenter accidentally sharing their fertility chart, forgetting to disconnect from a meeting and sharing private messages, and conducting a presentation with a failing projector. The document recommends exiting all unnecessary programs and screens before presenting, only sharing the file needed for an online meeting, practicing quick window switching, disabling screensavers, and having a backup plan for technology failures. The goal is to help presenters avoid becoming "horror stories" and embarrassing themselves during presentations.

1. Presentation
Horror
Stories
Bonus: Prevent
it from
happening to
you
Stories you

2. 12years of being at the giving and
receiving end of
Average
Excellent
presentations
Horror

3. Horror: embarrassing presentation
situations
Embarrassing: CNN’s Kyra Phillips
microphone mishap - broadcasting live from
the bathroom while President Bush’s speech
was being televised in 2006
Not to be confused with funny, like the
Naked Gun movie scene (1998) where
Leslie Nielsen takes a bathroom break with
his wireless microphone still on
was being televised in 2006

4. Fertile Myrtle accidentally projected her fertility
chart when she was made presenter

5. Mr. $ix Figures forgot to disconnect
from WebEx when he opened an email from
HR with details of his compensation increase…
of his peers were still connected
5of his peers were still connected
to the online meeting…5
Number who did not
receive any pay increases:
5

6. Ms. I.M. Chat’s
messenger popped up
a nasty message
about a client…about a client…
… while the client was attentively
looking at the screen

7. Victor Eyah did not intend to maximize his
HOTmail while conducting training

8. Final nightmare - conducting a visual
design session with a dying projector lamp

9. Avoid becoming a horror story presenter…
• Don’t multitask while presenting
• Exit all other programs and screens that are not part of the
presentation, especially all messaging / chat programs
• Use your computer’s extended desktop feature to project a new
blank screen – you then have to drag windows that you want toblank screen – you then have to drag windows that you want to
share with others (Display Properties > Settings)
• For online meetings (Livemeeting / WebEx), share only the file you
need to share, not your entire desktop. Log out when it ends.
• Practice “ALT-TAB”ing until you get it down to a few milliseconds – it
helps minimize any damage
• Turn off any screensavers – specially when they are configured to
display personal pictures
• Technology fails – double check, and have a plan B

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Lyndon Cerejo
Strategist.NetStrategist.Net
Credits: Cover image - cfi02 on stock exchange; Creepsville Font - Tony
O'Farrell; Chat bubble - Flavio Takemoto; Kyra Phillips - CNN